Wit, Whimsy, & Wisdom…

How about these pearls…Aren’t they yummy? Welcome to my happy place, where I, Susan Bowerman, the gal behind Woodside WireWorks, produces hand-crafted artisan jewelry; a journey which began almost a decade ago. While I am for the most part self taught, I have found YouTube has truly been my friend. And, drumroll please…it was on YouTube where I first encountered my friend, Brenda Sue Landsdowne and B’Sue Boutiques! Talk about a kick in the creative pants!

This is the second year I have participated in the Build a Line Challenge and I can assure you, I will learn more in the next three months than I ever would just sitting here on my own. The event is sponsored by B’Sue Boutiques (http://www.bsueboutiques.com), where one can find the best of the the best American made stampings in raw brass and in several high quality finishes. B’Sue Boutiques is the mecca for many jewelry artists. If you want quality, see Brenda!

There is something pretty magic about sitting down to a table full of beads and findings. The possibilities are endless. Often, when I’m in the zone, I will look out the window only to realize darkness has fallen, day became dusk..Where did those hours go?

Quality, defined! Some of these gorgeous pieces are already part of my new line.

Being part of the Build a Line Challenge affords participants an opportunity to spread their creative wings, and approach making wearable art with a focused intention. I love it. Our format this year is different: more structure, more reading, and more on-topic discussions. I cannot even imagine trying to fill Brenda’s shoes, because creating art is a passionate endeavor. These are our babies, for crying out loud and we all know how most mamas like to protect their young! That makes mentoring an event like this quite a fete…I wouldn’t want to do it! But, Brenda is guiding us through an odyssey of self discovery; teaching us to be work smarter, to define our style, and to recognize our customer.

The purpose of the challenge is to build a body of COHESIVE work! Yikes, throw that word “cohesive” in the mix and therein lies the CHALLENGE within the CHALLENGE! My line last year was called “Deck out that Denim.” Here is a collage of the pieces I made during those three months. I was so happy with how they turned out, especially since I knew very little about what to expect and what I was doing.

My “Deck out the Denim” line was intended to add a little pop to most any outfit…from jeans to a pair of slacks and a simple top.

One of the things I love about our approach this year is that we are required to reveal our intended “line” with our first blog post…as in now! For me, this change in strategy was a great idea, for it forced me to focus from the onset. The pieces above are cohesive because they use components which collectively have the same finishes, so building that body of work was a happy accident. The theme I have chosen this time requires more thought…much more! But, what is the value in doing something if you don’t strive for adding a few new tricks to your trade?

My Happy Place…

I will be using metals in this line too, but most of them will be altered. My line will feature hand painted stampings, flowers, and pearls…all of which I adore. Since not everyone is a fan of flowers, some pieces will be made of alternate components in an effort to give the collection depth.

But, but, but…now that I’m altering the metals, it means building COHESION throughout the line requires vast amounts of thought and planning. My camera is doubling as my editor, helping me to identify pieces which need to be altered and hopefully weed out those things that simply don’t fit.

This is my father, and he is the inspiration for this line.

Now how did I come up with the title, Cashmere and Pearls? Well I’ll tell you! My late father and I were talking way back in the day and I think he was trying to convince his “tomboy” daughter to be more ladylike. That was a TALL ORDER! Finally, he said to me, “Susie honey, I like my women in Cashmere and Pearls!” I’ve never forgotten that. So the line I’m creating is dedicated to my dear father, who was always on point, extremely wise, and the best father a girl could ask for.

Cashmere and Pearls will combine beautiful stampings–modified with a dewey soft finish–and pearls, and with a few flowers tossed in. Most of the line will be romantic and soft.

Some of these hand painted flowers will bloom in my Cashmere and Pearls line.

I am optimistic that I will be able to make pieces of varied shapes to add interest and create pieces, which can be layered within the collection. With a little luck, I will be able to master some simpler pieces so that the next time I setup at a craft show, I will have offerings at many price points. Here is a sneak peak of one of the pieces I’ve created, thus far. I must say, I love, love, love to make jewelry.

Introducing the first piece in my Cashmere and Pearls line. The focal and stampings were hand painted and the piece hangs from a golden chain hand wired with tiny pearls.

And this is me, the crazy girl who would much rather buy pliers and beads than shoes! Thank you so much for visiting. Please leave me a little comment if you’d be so kind. And please, please, please visit the many other talented artists with whom I have the pleasure of sharing this journey.

Fantastic line Ideea! And your first piece is spot on. Love your style and your blog is always entertaining to me. Great story teller. Adding color, I like it. Of course I love colors. My Dad taught me about photography and he wanted me to learn that you can make black and white beautiful and if you can look at things in grey tones then you will be able to see the color. Creating Harmony and balance. I hope this makes sense. Basically he used the greys as a foundation for balance and composition.

Cindy, thank you so much! I really appreciate your visit and the fact that you have been me to most of the other blogs this morning. I know who to call if I can’t sleep. I’m pretty sure you’ll be up, too. I appreciate your comments, and what you said makes perfect sense to me. You’ve given me an idea about checking my work for design. I’m going to look at future pieces in color and black and white. I think using both points of view will help me appreciate what needs tweaking. Thank you, Cindy and thank you for supporting everyone! You are a dream!

Looking forward to your line. Your painted flowers are so beautiful. I enjoyed learning abut the differences between last years class and this. I think your dad and my dad could have been good buddies.

Well if your dad and mine could have been buddies, we are both lucky ladies! It is a pleasure to share this experience with you. As for the class, I am so glad you are in it for the learning curve in a forum like this is amazing. We learn from each other and Brenda and we are but a mouse click away from one another. How perfect is that?

“Susie honey, I like my women in Cashmere and Pearls!” – this is CLASSIC! I just want to thank you for sharing a bit of your journey with us here this morning as well as this wonderful tribute to your father. I love seeing your designs on the Creative Group and cannot wait to watch your new line grow as we continue on through class together. Thank you!!!

Oh Chris, what a great adventure this is. I appreciate your very gracious visit and hope we will be grow in our mutual journeys. My dad said many things which were classic. I owe much to him for who I am today. I was one fortunate young lady! Thank you. See you in class!

Susan, I believe art evokes emotion, and your artistic writing and beautiful designs always evoke emotion in me. I got a little teary eyed when you spoke of your dad and him inspiring your new line. My dad was such an inspiration to me. I love your choice for your new line. It brings back memories of watching my mother put on a beautiful, multi-strand pearl necklace with her black, square necked dress with a gathered waist and a-line skirt, as she was preparing to go to church one Sunday morning. Gee, I’m getting lost in memories here. I’d better get on with the blog hop. Good luck with your new line!

Vonda, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! And since I am so sentimental, you can share emotions with me any time. I love the story you just shared of your mother. It sounds as if we were both blessed with wonderful families. I am fortunate to still have my mom. She has been an ardent supporter of my jewelry. I call her my “pit bull of marketing.” When she joins me at a show, my sales go up! Thanks again for the visit and the kind words, Vonda. I truly appreciate you and your kindness.

I appreciate your kindness, Jann. It is wonderful to be able to share this experience with you again this year. I think all of the players have really stepped up their game. I saw and read wonderful things today.

Susan, I am a Tomboy at heart also and a daddy’s girl! There’s nothing better!
I really like your concept and the colors are exquisite. Thanks for all of your contributions in class. Many times you say what I’m thinking! On to blog hop 2!

Oh, Susan, I love reading anything you write, and this post was no exception! I am absolutely thrilled to be on this journey with you again. Your new line is going to be fabulous, if that one piece is any indication! Love the theme you’very chosen,can can’t wait to see more, my friend.

Miss Marcia, you have a magical way of always making my day! Thank you. It is always fun to be in good company and I am thrilled that we are all back together again for “round 2!”Thank you, my friend. Cheers!

Belinda, thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ve never been terribly happy with my painting until I used those Inca Gold products. They are the best!I so appreciate what you’ve said. I hope my next pieces fulfill your expectations. On never knows…

Let’s hear it for Pliers and Beads! Yipee! I hear you Susan. When we travel, I always make sure the city we’re visiting has a bead store, and that I have directions. I love your theme. You are going to make some gorgeous pieces, based on your first lovely necklace!
I’m looking forward to our next few months in class, and getting to know you better.
Cheers!

Chris, you brought back some memories with your comment. My husband and I used to travel to Michigan in the summers to escape Virginia’s brutal humidity. I’d have a stack of beading magazines–purchased exclusively for the trip–and piles of beads on a tray in my lap. If I wasn’t beading, I was reading. That was all well and good until we rear-ended someone. Beads went flying…I still drive that car. And, despite the fact that our last trip was about 5 years ago, every now and then, a seed bead will come out of hiding! I am so enjoying being in class with you too, Chris. Here’s to round two!

Susan, I absolutely loved your line last year, and if your first finished piece is any indication, will love love love your new line! You have a beautiful way of creating art that just happens to be in the form of jewelry. And thank you for sharing about your father. Lovely blog.

Oh Beth, thank you so much. Brenda has a way of “jump-starting” our creativity, don’t you think? It is a pleasure to be sharing this marvelous adventure with you. I appreciate your kind words. Thanks again. See you in class!

I always enjoy reading your posts and this was no exception! I loved your first line so very elegant yet wearable every day! The painting you have done so far on your pieces is beautiful!! Looking forward to seeing your completed line. Ingrid

Ingrid, I really appreciate that! I love those Inca Gold paints…they are amazing. This line might prove to be a wee bit fussier than I’d like, but we’ll see. Half of the time when I sit down to make something, I change my mind so often it simply “evolves.” I guess that is just how I roll. Thank you, Ingrid. I appreciate the visit!

AWESOME!!! So glad you joined us again this year, Susan, and I can see what a favorite you are with everyone as you have so many comments. I love Cashmere and Pearls as a theme as not only does it sound lovely and elegant, but it has a sentimental root. I LOVE that photo of you with your booth, who wouldn’t want to buy jewelry from you, just to have something you made with your two hands, full of such a positive vibe. WELL DONE…..as always. A+++++ XOXO B’sue

Brenda, I cannot thank YOU enough for opening so many creative doors for so many of us. What an inspiration you are. You really do teach us how to “think outside of the box!” I loved every minute of last year’s challenge, and so many of the “seeds,” which you planted then, have since germinated. I will forever been in your debt because you woke me up on so many levels. My gratitude is boundless. From the bottom of my heart, I THANK YOU!

Susan you are an amazing woman atristicly talented and one big hearted beautiful gal. I love your a story and your them and your first piece is just stunning. Love you bunches sweet lady happy creating! XOXO!

Great post, as always, Susan … love to read your writing! Looks like we both love pearls too! 😉 I can’t wait to see what you do with your pearls and stampings … let’s make pearls the IN style this year! ::Toby kittykisses Skittles hello::

Oh Pamela, you and Toby crack me up! I certainly hope Toby’s manners are better than Miss Skittle’s! Our little mascots a.k.a. “Creative Directors” certainly do get into the thick of things, don’t they? I enjoyed your blog, too and adored your line last year. I think making pearls the IN style is a brilliant idea. We’ll do it together with the help of our furry critters! Cheers!

Susan, I absolutely love your cashmere and pearls theme. You have so many possibilities to choose and I can’t wait to see your finished products. I’m happy to be sharing this journey with you. I’m certain your final pieces will be just as beautiful as the rest of your work that I’ve seen.

Shari, you are one of the precious gifts of this challenge. I am so enjoying getting to know you better. We are all so fortunate to have this opportunity to grow and learn and to form new friendships. I don’t know what I would do with myself had I not found this creative outlet and I think the same can be said of you! We are two abundantly lucky ladies. See you in class! Cheers, my friend!

What a wonderful blog. I always enjoy reading your blogs and posts. I loved your line last year, it was one of my favorites. Your theme this year and the piece you created are beautiful. Love your theme and design. Can’t wait to see more of your line!

Janet you are so kind. I miss having you in the challenge this year but enjoy bumping into you in the creative group. I so appreciate you wonderful kindness. Thank you so much for popping in for a visit. You are a dear!

I really enjoyed your post. Your “Deck out that Denim” theme from last year is great and I can’t wait to see how “Cashmere and Pearls” turns out. The necklace is beautiful and your painted flowers are just what I would imagine for your theme.

Two of my absolute favs. . .I still wear pearls in all colors–actually own a grey Mikimoto set of earrings and necklace,. . .cashmere pinky brown, milk brown, chocolate brown, white, off white. . .but I digress. Cannot wait for all this yumminess!

I remember your line from last year, it is beautiful. I never would have thought you could mix metals in such a way, but you did it oh so well!

I love your concept for this year. It really hits home with me. Growing up as a tomboy , I was always told that I needed to get in touch with my feminine side. I was forced into poofy dresses and fancy hairdo’s.

I would run outside and cover myself in dirt the moment I got a chance – now, I play in mud everyday haha – but hey, I make beads right? That’s feminine.

I think you picked a wonderful theme. When I think of feminine I think of Cashmere, Silk, Lace, Pearls and Diamonds. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with this year.

From one tomboy to another, Diane, thank you for your dear comments! You made my day…poofy dresses and fancy hairdos…perhaps back in the day but not now! I think your current passion (and mine) is far more fun. Go get your hands dirty, dear lady! And, thank you, thank you, thank you for the kind words and for making me smile!

I really enjoyed your story and meeting your father! Oh how our dads influence us, for our entire life. My dad always told me….Donna means lady, as I hung from the tree branch upside down. He has been gone for too long but his words are always with me. I am looking forward to seeing your new line of jewelry.

Awww, thank you for sharing a bit of your father wit me, too! I am so enjoying being in the class with you and loving your blogs! You put a smile on my face with every visit to “your place.” Here’s to a great challenge, and lots of fun. See you in class!

Susan, you’re off to a great start! Getting to see your last line in comparison to this line is a real eye-opener: two different themes, two different intentions, and enough similarities between them for everyone to be able to tell that these pieces are YOURS. Your artistic style really shines through! I can’t wait to see all of your finished pieces.